What did you do today?

[zannej]

I've been wanting to get some of the Wago Lever Nuts. I asked about them on another forum because they look cool. I like them better than trying to deal with wire nuts.

It looks like Ida is coming for us and may hit by Monday. Center looks like it will go over New Orleans and I'm more to the west. I hope the storm will lose some strength before it hits but they expect it to gain. I've already filled five 5-gallon buckets of water in the bathroom, filled a tub of water in the kitchen, put water in several different bowls for the dogs, and will be filling empty 1 gallon water bottles so we will have enough water for the pets, flushing the toilet, and washing hands. I may go buy some more 1 gallon bottles of water before they sell out. Need to pickup an RX and not sure if the pharmacy will be open tomorrow because staff have had Covid and it's been closed on some weekends. Also need to grab some food we can eat without cooking.

Even if the storm downgrades before reaching us, I'm fairly certain we will lose power. Just not sure for how long. Laura took it out for 3 weeks. One after that took it out for almost 2 weeks (IIRC). Gonna suck without AC and we can't go stay at my friend's because he hasn't been cleared as Covid-free yet.

We can't evacuate so hopefully this one won't be as bad as Laura.

 

[Floorist]

Amazon has the Wago lever nuts

 

[highup]

Found a new phone app today.
SkyView lite.
It's a freebie and if you like looking up at the stars and knowing what's up there this is really cool. You can change the settings to get rid of the pictures of the constellations and change the color to red or green for night vision.
Check it out.

 

[highup]

You think this guy could cove vinyl?
.....no, I wouldn't want him to either.
He's making 10 times more $$$ with his day job.

 

[Floorist]

I wonder if Zanne is being evacuated?

 

[zannej]

Rusty, thus far we have not had any recommendations for evacuation. They are shutting down government offices in the area and it looks like we're on the outer edge of the storm path (but it's not clear if it is a high wind part of the storm).
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/storm-tracker-follow-ida-s-path-n1277787Half of my parish (the half that I'm in) is in the purple/blue area on the left. Problem is, I'm in a low population parish. The town of Alexandria (northeast of us) has a higher population that my entire parish. So we are low priority when it comes to news/info. But we are under "preparedness warning".

Skies are cloudy right now and I expect we'll get hit with rain and lose power hours before the storm hits our area. My power company blows so I the power goes out very easily.

Even if we were told to evacuate, by now it's pretty much too late because there's nowhere to go. The bigger towns that evacuated will have taken all the hotel rooms and drained the gas stations of gas. I'm about to go out and check the bird situation. The birds tend to flee when danger is coming so if there are still birds it's more likely to be safe.

I still remember when a major supertyphoon was coming toward Guam. Internet was more primitive then and we were not forewarned. I was with my father hiking and we went to a beach where we saw the hermit crabs climbing trees. Poor things were trying to reach higher ground because they sensed the storm coming. Storm brought some Tsunamis that went up 200ft and smashed houses at the top of a 100ft cliff. My cats were also freaking out before Paka (the supertyphoon) hit. Fortunately our housing was built during WWII and was designed to withstand air raids/bombs.

 

[C.J.]

Took my van in for an oil change today. I was told the drain plug was stuck and removing it would ruin the oil pan. Then I was quoted $1300 to replace the oil pan. I laughed at them then left. Went home and grabbed a wrench and checked the plug. It turned freely so then I went to auto zone and bought all the crap to change my own oil along with a new oil drain plug. Went to a park down the street and changed my own oil cus I’m sure the HOA here frowns on working on vehicles in your own driveway.

There must be some kind of thing with mechanics and oil pans and trying to milk people for money. The wife had a similar situation with the oil drain plug on her car a couple years ago. The plug was legitimately stuck in the pan. We were quoted $900 to change out the oil pan. Again I told them to Frick Off. Ordered a new oil pan and some gasket sealer for under $100 and changed it out myself with a buddy and a couple beers in an afternoon

 

[Mark Brown]

I have had many a drain plug get stuck, I just unstick them, bore and thread a new hole and get myself another 2 dollar bolt. Flush the oil and magnetize the pan and voila.

 

[C.J.]

That was my thought. If they were real mechanics then that shouldn’t have been an issue. Installing a time sert or using a thread chaser at the very least should be just another day at work for a professional. It’s not like I go to jiffy lube or some place like that.

 

[Floorist]

Took my van in for an oil change today. I was told the drain plug was stuck and removing it would ruin the oil pan. Then I was quoted $1300 to replace the oil pan. I laughed at them then left. Went home and grabbed a wrench and checked the plug. It turned freely so then I went to auto zone and bought all the crap to change my own oil along with a new oil drain plug. Went to a park down the street and changed my own oil cus I’m sure the HOA here frowns on working on vehicles in your own driveway.

There must be some kind of thing with mechanics and oil pans and trying to milk people for money. The wife had a similar situation with the oil drain plug on her car a couple years ago. The plug was legitimately stuck in the pan. We were quoted $900 to change out the oil pan. Again I told them to Frick Off. Ordered a new oil pan and some gasket sealer for under $100 and changed it out myself with a buddy and a couple beers in an afternoon

Don't know where you took it but Walmart puts a blue sealer on them just in case they stripped it. I would not let them touch one of mine.

 

[Floorist]

Rusty, thus far we have not had any recommendations for evacuation. They are shutting down government offices in the area and it looks like we're on the outer edge of the storm path (but it's not clear if it is a high wind part of the storm).
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/storm-tracker-follow-ida-s-path-n1277787Half of my parish (the half that I'm in) is in the purple/blue area on the left. Problem is, I'm in a low population parish. The town of Alexandria (northeast of us) has a higher population that my entire parish. So we are low priority when it comes to news/info. But we are under "preparedness warning".

Skies are cloudy right now and I expect we'll get hit with rain and lose power hours before the storm hits our area. My power company blows so I the power goes out very easily.

Even if we were told to evacuate, by now it's pretty much too late because there's nowhere to go. The bigger towns that evacuated will have taken all the hotel rooms and drained the gas stations of gas. I'm about to go out and check the bird situation. The birds tend to flee when danger is coming so if there are still birds it's more likely to be safe.

I still remember when a major supertyphoon was coming toward Guam. Internet was more primitive then and we were not forewarned. I was with my father hiking and we went to a beach where we saw the hermit crabs climbing trees. Poor things were trying to reach higher ground because they sensed the storm coming. Storm brought some Tsunamis that went up 200ft and smashed houses at the top of a 100ft cliff. My cats were also freaking out before Paka (the supertyphoon) hit. Fortunately our housing was built during WWII and was designed to withstand air raids/bombs.

Be careful. Looks like the path is moving west.

 

[C.J.]

NTB was where I was taking it and there was some blue sealer on it. I made it work without any sealer or a new oil pan so maybe I’m back to doing my own oil changes again.

 

[Floorist]

NTB was where I was taking it and there was some blue sealer on it. I made it work without any sealer or a new oil pan so maybe I’m back to doing my own oil changes again.

Back in another life time, I did oil changes for 5 years for a living. We never used any sealer. And I fixed several that the consumer had stripped.
I started floor installations part time, evenings and weekends, in 1973. Went full time in 1983.
Pretty much retired 5 years ago.

 

[Floorist]

I worked in a combine factory welding from 1978 to 1982, When that place folded, I was offered a full time job installing and did it from then on.

 

[Floorist]

Be careful. Looks like the path is moving west.

They are saying west of Lake Charles now.

 

[Mark Brown]

wtf do you need thread lock on a oil pan drain plug for. Its supposed to leak, that way you always toppin' up with fresh oil

 

[C.J.]

wtf do you need thread lock on a oil pan drain plug for. Its supposed to leak, that way you always toppin' up with fresh oil

I pay to make sure I don’t have a leaky vehicle

 

[Mark Brown]

pffft, thats just crazy talk man.

 

[Floorist]

My 1994 E 150 has 230,000 miles and I would not be afraid to cross the country in it. Doesn't get driven much now, I drive one of the cars mostly.

 

[Mark Brown]

I have driven across Canada coast to coast in

87 Toyota Tercel with 350Km on it
86 Hyundai Stellar 350km
95 dodge neon with 240 km
92 Honda civic with 330km on it
07 elantra with 228 km on it

A few of those cars when back and forth a few times and the only one to ever give me trouble was the stellar. I lost hub, spindle and bearing.

I'll drive anything across the country

For the record, we are talking coast to coast in Canada and for anyone who has never done that it is 5800 kilometers. The fastest i ever did it was in 68 hours.

I think I have done that drive ten times I think.....